The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) HC

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The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) - HC
"The Book of Ballads"
Tor Books (Tom Doherty Associates)

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Penciller(s):
Charles Dana Vess

Inker(s):
Charles Dana Vess

Colorist(s):
(Story is monochromatic)

Letterer(s):
Charles Dana Vess

Editor(s):
Teresa Nielsen Hayden

Cover Artist(s):
Charles Dana Vess

Rating (out of 10):
Unrated

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This issue is in 11 collections.

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Awards:

2005 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards - Nominee - Best Graphic Album: Reprint: (by Charles Vess, et al. (Tor))

Cover Date: November 2004
Cover Price: US $ 24.95

Issue Tagline: None.

Format: Black & White; Hardcover; 196 pages

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Synopsis:
Ballads were little known to the literate world until the 18th century, when scholars began writing them down. Since then, they've received attention from folklorists, folksingers and, now, cartoonist Vess (Stardust; Rose). Vess and his collaborators put a little meat on the ballads' often bare-bones stories, adding fantastic elements not in the originals ("Barbara Allen"), giving them modern settings ("Twa Corbies"), sexing them up ("Savoy") and otherwise putting their own mark on them. Vess approaches them with an appropriately elegant style. His exquisitely detailed art delightfully recalls the Pre-Raphaelites here, Aubrey Beardsley there and elsewhere Winsor McCay or Gustave Doré. The best stories involve passion, whether celebrated ("King Henry" and "Savoy") or cautioned against ("The Demon Lover" and "The Three Lovers"), though even the least effective stories are still beautiful. "The Three Lovers" is especially noteworthy; in it, Vess makes clever, subversive use of comics language, presenting a story that pretends to be a play (complete with proscenium arch). "Tam Lin" may be the collection's consummate piece. In it, Vess goes for straight illustration, with each illustrated page facing a page of verse. Here Vess reaches the peak of his art, standing proudly with the 19th- and early 20th-century illustrators who influence him.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reprints/Collects:
The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) #1
The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) #2
The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) #3
The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) #4
Dark Horse Presents (1986) #75
Dark Horse Presents (1986) #78
The Forbidden Book (2001) OGN SC vol. 01

Reprinted/Collected in:
The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) HC
The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) HC (Limited Edition)
The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) TPB

Notes:
ISBN: 0-7653-1214-X

Introduction by Terri Windling.

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Multiple Stories in this Issue

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"Introduction" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Terri Windling

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(Typeset)

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"The False Knight on the Road" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Neil Gaiman

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Originally published in The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) #1.

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"King Henry" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Jane Yolen

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Originally published in Dark Horse Presents (1986) #78

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"Thomas the Rhymer" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Sharyn McCrumb

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Originally published in The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) #1.

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"Barbara Allen" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Midori Snyder

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Originally published in The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) #3.

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"The Three Lovers" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Lee Smith

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Initial publication?

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"Tam-Lin" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Elaine Lee

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Originally published in The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) #4.

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"The Daemon Lover" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Delia Sherman

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Originally published in The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) #3.

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"Twa Corbies" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Charles de Lint

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Originally published in The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) #4.

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"Sovay" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Charles de Lint

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Originally published in Dark Horse Presents (1986) #75

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"The Galtee Farmer" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Jeff Smith

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Originally published in The Book of Ballads and Sagas (1996) #3.

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"Alison Gross" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Charles Dana Vess

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Originally published in The Forbidden Book (2001) OGN SC vol. 01.

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"The Black Fox" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Emma Bull

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Originally published in Firebirds: An Anthology of Original Fantasy and Science Fiction (2003).

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"The Great Selchie of Sule Skerry" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Jane Yolen

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Initial publication?

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"Discography Notes" - Edit this story

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Writer(s):
Ken Roseman

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